Love Lies Chapter 57

"Himself?" Richie asked. "But why?"

"Don't you get it?" I whispered. "He's protecting me from himself!"

"Why?" Richie asked again.

"He doesn't want himself to ruin the wedding. He's trying to fall either back in love with Diane or the new girl."

"Diane's married," Richie whispered.

"She is?" I said.

"Yeah, she got married a year or two ago."

"Why's he going after her?" I asked.

Richie shrugged.

I did too, and grabbed my coffee cup from the table, taking a sip. "Well, tomorrow's still Christmas Eve."

"I got you something."

"I got you something too."

"What about Jon?"

I bit my lip. "Shoot, I forgot about him..."

"Don't worry, I got Bob Dylan to sign him a guitar."

"For real?" I asked.

"For real," Richie laughed. "We've got other things on our hands at the moment. When are you going dress shopping?"

"I'm not sure, I've still got to call Krystal."

"That's alright, maybe wait until after the holidays."

"That's what I was thinking of doing."

"Great minds think alike," Richie smiled. "What do you want to do tonorrow night? Sleep, eat, love?"

"How about all three?" I laughed. "And please times the love by one million."

"Done!" he laughed. "I have a photoshoot early in the morning, but then we can do whatever you'd like."

I smiled. "Hope you have fun."

"Are you kidding? You're coming with, of course I'll have fun."

I blushed. "Why do you have such a way with words?"

"Because, I'm still Richie Sambora, the luckiest man in the world."

"And why's that?"

He smiled. "Because I'm engaged to the person of my dreams."

I set my coffee cup down and wrapped my arms around his neck, and leaned back to look at him. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know?"

He smiled as he ran his finger through my hair. "Beauty, there's always going to be an us, okay?"

I smiled, as I felt tears welling up. "Okay."

He smiled wider as he kissed me, and we leaned back on the counter.

But what we didn't see, was whatJon was planning on doing to us, and the people we'd become.